Baked Popcorn Chicken

Yes, that’s right; we’re not frying this chicken, nor are we somehow popping it in the microwave like that so-buttery, so-addictive, totally-not-good-for-you popcorn all kids – and grown-ups, too! – love. All you need to do is coat pieces of chickens in the crunchy and perfectly-seasoned coating, throw them on a sheet plan, and bake. The result? A satisfying snack – or even a light, special treat meal – that everybody will love and won’t make you feel guilty.

So what makes it so special? Well, for starters, this Baked Popcorn Chicken is Baked Garlic Popcorn Chicken, adding an extra dose of delicious flavor with both minced garlic and garlic powder. And the popcorn part? It’s not only because it looks like popcorn; we’re using corn flakes in this recipe for flavorful, crunchy fun! Let us show you how it’s made, then keep reading for the simple recipe.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chopped chicken pieces, minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of the black pepper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the corn flakes, Parmesan cheese, the remaining salt and pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Process until the cornflakes are broken down to a fine crumble but not powdery. Place this corn flake mixture into a medium bowl, and set aside.

Pour the flour into a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces to the bag and toss to evenly coat in the flour.

Place the flour-coated chicken into a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle with the buttermilk and toss to coat.

Working in batches, add the chicken to the corn flake mixture and toss to coat. Place the coated chicken on the prepared sheet pan, and spray with pan spray.

TipHero

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are browned and crispy.

TipHero

See? How simple and delicious do these little “popcorn” chicken pieces look?! You can enjoy them with ketchup, Sriracha, or your other favorite dipping sauces. They’re also really easy to throw into a zipper-top bag, once they’ve cooled a little, and take on the go with you. Road trip, anybody?

TipHero

So what do you think? Will you be giving this Baked Garlic Popcorn Chicken a try? Have you ever made popcorn chicken before, and if you have, did you bake it, fry it, and cook it another way? How would you change up this recipe to make it your own? Let us know if you give it a try and, of course, tell us how it turns out for you!